Third party delivery of preferred perishable content

Abstract

A user can specify particular news, weather, traffic, or other perishable content received on a particular Internet radio station or other media channel. The user can customize the station so that wherever the user is currently located, he can receive perishable content related to a preferred geographic location or other category. In some embodiments, a user can specify that a customized station plays local news from one city at the top of the hour, traffic from another city at 10 minutes past the hour, and music or other content at other times. The user can also customize the station to select the perishable content, or other original content, from the personal libraries of specified users. Thus, a user can customize not only the genre of content or select a particular local station, but can also modify the perishable content provided by the customized station.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of providing customized station content to a user, the method comprising:
 determining, at a content processing system, characteristics of music content to be included in a customized station, wherein the characteristics of the music content are determined based on first user-input from a user of a device coupled to the content processing system via a communication network; 
 determining, at a content processing system, characteristics of perishable content to be included in the customized station, wherein the characteristics of the perishable content are determined based on second user-input from the user via the communication network; 
 establishing, at the content processing system, a schedule including a combination of at least one first time period designated for preferred music content, wherein the preferred music content is selected based on the first user-input, and at least one second time period designated for preferred perishable content, wherein the preferred perishable content is selected based on the second user-input, wherein the schedule reflects a synchronized update based on one or more of the first user-input and the second user-input; 
 delivering the preferred music content to the user using the content processing system; and 
 relying on a third party source device to deliver the preferred perishable content directly to the user. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second user input comprises at least one category. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one category includes at least one geographic location category. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one category includes:
 a first category of perishable content to be obtained from a first geographic location; and 
 a second category of perishable content to be obtained from a second geographic location. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one category includes at least one category specifying original content provided by other users. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preferred perishable content is streamed from the third party source to the user. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preferred perishable content is downloaded by the user directly from the third party source. 
     
     
       8. A method of providing customized station content to a user, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a content processing system, first user-input from a user of a device coupled to the content processing system via a communication network, the first user-input specifying at least one category of music content to be included in a customized station; 
 receiving, at the content processing system, second user-input from the user via the communication network, the second user-input specifying at least one category of perishable content to be included in the customized station; 
 establishing, at the content processing system, a schedule including both preferred music content selected based on the first user-input and preferred perishable content selected based on the second input, wherein the schedule reflects a synchronized update based on one or more of the first user-input and the second user-input; and 
 delivering one of the preferred music content and the preferred perishable content to the first user using the content processing system; and 
 relying on a third party source device to deliver the other of the preferred music content and the preferred perishable content directly to the user. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the second user-input further specifies:
 a first category of perishable content to be obtained from a first geographic location; and 
 a second category of perishable content to be obtained from a second geographic location. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one category of perishable content comprises:
 a category including original content provided by other users. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the second user-input further specifies:
 a user preference to limit perishable content from the category of perishable content to original content provided by particular users. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the third party source comprises:
 an out-of-market radio station. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the third party source delivers the preferred perishable content by streaming the preferred perishable content directly to the user. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the third party source delivers the preferred perishable content as part of a download delivered directly to the user. 
     
     
       15. A server system comprising:
 a communications interface configured to receive, via a communication network:
 first user-input specifying characteristics of music content to be included in a customized station; 
 second user-input specifying characteristics of perishable content to be included in the customized station; 
 
 a processor configured to:
 establish a schedule including at least one slot designated for preferred music content selected based on the first-user input, and at least one slot designated for preferred perishable content selected based on the second user-input, wherein the schedule reflects a synchronized update based on one or more of the first user-input and the second user-input; 
 deliver one of the preferred music content and the preferred perishable content to the first user; and 
 communicate with a third party source device to cause the third party source device to deliver the other of the preferred music content and the preferred perishable content. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The server of  claim 15 , wherein the second user input comprises a category specifying original news content provided by other users. 
     
     
       17. The server of  claim 15 , wherein the communications interface is configured to deliver the one of the preferred music content and the preferred perishable content to the user by streaming the preferred music content to the user. 
     
     
       18. The server of  claim 15 , wherein the second user-input comprises at least one geographic location category. 
     
     
       19. The server of  claim 15 , wherein the third party source is configured to deliver the other of the preferred music content and the preferred perishable content to the user by streaming the preferred music content to the user. 
     
     
       20. The server of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the communications interface is configured to deliver the preferred music content by streaming the preferred music content to the user; and 
 the third party source is configured to deliver the preferred perishable content to the user via a download directly to a user device.